Student Senate to impeach two Class of 2024 senators

The Student Senate voted to impeach two Class of 2024 senators for continued absences and failures to respond to messages.

Senators Austin Jefferson ’24 and Hannah Tischler ’25 proposed two motions concerning the impeachment of consistently absent Class of 2024 Senators Michael Mendez ’24 and Gabriel Tambellini ’24. Grand Marshal Cait Bennett ’22G placed the removal votes under special orders in next week’s agenda, noting that, to her knowledge, they “haven’t done this in years,” and that the Senate was unable to find any recent records of impeachment. The two senators in question are write-ins whose lack of attendance led some senators to question if they were even aware of their positions in the Senate. However, they have been in contact with other Senate members earlier in the year.

Both motions passed unanimously and the removal hearings and subsequent removal vote are set to take place October 19.

Bennett also led a budget review to look over the fiscal plans for next year. She stated that before her presidency, the Senate budget was left largely untouched from year to year, leaving much of the money dedicated to now defunct and unused projects. For example, an old shuttle program used to have routes to the Capital City Mall on weekends. Due to the Union Executive Board's policy against slush funds, funds dedicated to projects without a specific goal in mind, the budget allotted to defunct projects cannot be used by the Senate without first being reallocated by a meeting with the Executive Board.

Lastly, Student Life Committee chairperson Zach Barringer ’22G noted his plans to host a town hall meeting between the Student Health Center and the general public. Tabling for the meeting was held on Tuesday from 2–5 pm to gauge interest and ask students for any questions or concerns they may have for the health center.

This Student Senate meeting was held on October 12. The Senate meets every Wednesday at 8 pm in the Student Government Suite